Chapter 3 – So That's What They Call a Family

Kate groaned. She couldn't move. Her arms and legs felt like jello, pain seared through her body. She felt like she had been hit with a ton of bricks.

What had happened? Her father… she was free from her father. Then she was running and running, and she ran further and further, but she still couldn't escape the dirty streets of New York. There was a crowd, there was a horse race, there was a boy- a man, really… a young man. He had to have been around her age… didn't he give her a paper? Wait, where was she? It felt like she was lying in a bed, but she couldn't be sure. Kate opened her eyes and a young boy was staring at her.

"SHE'S AWAKE! SHE'S AWAKE, DAVID! MAMA, PAPA!" the boy yelled.

Kate groaned again. Her head hurt from the yelling. Three more people ran in. One of them was the fellow who she had seen at the horse race, one of them was a fatherly looking man, and the other was a motherly looking woman. All four had kindly looking faces. Kate knew at once that they were a family.

"Where am I?" Kate asked frightened.

The mother stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm Mrs. Jacobs. That's my husband, the little one-"

"I'm not little, I'm almost eleven years old!" the boy cried.

"Well, that's my youngest son Les, and you might remember my older son, David," Mrs. Jacobs continued.

"I… I remember him. A paper, he gave me a newspaper… I think," Kate said remembering vaguely.

"Yes, yes, that's right," the young man called David said as he rushed over to the bed.

"Well, dear, now you know our names, but what's yours?" Mr. Jacobs said.

"I'm…" Kate began to answer, but was interrupted.

"Mayer, can't you see this young lady's been through a lot? There will be plenty of time for questions, later," Mrs. Jacobs scolded her husband. "Dear, is there anything we can get you?"

Though Kate was in pain from her hair to her toenails, and could barely think about anything but the pain, she realized that this family had taken her, an utter stranger, into their home, and they still didn't know her name. "My name is Kate…can you tell me how I got here?"

The rest of the family looked at David.

"Well, I saw you with my friend, at the race track," he began.

"Aw, why do I always miss the good stuff!" Les sighed.

"Were you gambling with Racetrack Higgins again?" Mrs. Jacobs asked accusingly.

"Mama, it's my money," David argued.

"David, your mother and I will discuss this with you later," Mr. Jacobs said sternly as David looked to the floor. "Continue," Mr. Jacobs prodded.

"Well, we saw you, and I- well, I… um," David stuttered. "I gave you a paper. And then you fainted, so we- my friend Race and I took you to here," he explained.

"Your parents must be worried sick about you! Where do they live? We can send for them right away. I don't think it would be a good idea to move you," Mrs. Jacobs began to say.

"I have no family; you caught me while I was running away. I'm not going back… ever. All of these injuries are from my 'family,'" Kate said bitterly, looking at her bruised arms. They were silent. It must have been hard for this pleasant looking family to imagine that her father could do such a thing. "Well, thank you for everything… but I should go," Kate said trying to get up. Pain ripped through her.

"No! You don't have to go home. Stay here, don't leave," David said strongly.

Mr. And Mrs. Jacobs exchanged a knowing look, but Kate was oblivious to it.

"What David means is that it would be best if you stay here until your injuries have healed," Mrs. Jacobs said resting her hand against Kate's shoulder. "Why don't you get some more rest? If you get hungry, we've put dinner on a tray by your bed side… come, let her alone now," she said leading the men out, as Kate closed her eyes to sleep.